Fifth-wheel.



No. 726,043. PATENTED APR. 21,1903.

3. M. FREEBURG. FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1902.

N0 MOD EL.

' WITNESSES.-

I RN EK g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANK M. FREEBURG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RICHARD H. MACOLERN AN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,043, dated April 21, 1903.

Application filed October 6, 1902.

' citizen of the United States, residing at Philamy invention.

delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of fifth. wheels for vehicles wherein antifriction-rollers are employed to reduce the friction be: tween the coacting parts.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, and-efficient construction whereby the friction between the coacting parts will be reduced to a greater extent than has been heretofore attained.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. a

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a vehicle equipped with Fig. 2 is a sectional plan as on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail as on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4:18 a sectional view as on the lined-4: of-Fig. 2 enlarged. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one of the rollers, its sleeve, and shaft.

5 6 designate the upper and lower circular bearing-plates, which are secured to the body of the vehicle and the axle of the carryingwheels, respectively, and' which are held together by a bolt 7,-so as to turn relatively to each other. The mounting and arrangement of these parts are of well-known construction and need no detailed description herein.

8 9 are two concentric rings, which are lo cated one within the other. The inner face of the outer ring 8 and the outer face of the inner ring 9 are each provided with elongated sockets 10, to which are fitted a series of radially disposed shafts 11, which extend between said rings and which are arranged at intervals, as shown.

The rings 8 9 are securely held together by shafts 12, which are secured at their respective ends to said rings and which are arranged among the shafts 11.

The shafts 11 12 are provided with rotata- Jcentricrings, together one within the other, a series of ra- Serial No. 1Z6,017.' (No model.)

ble sleeves l3, and the latter are provided with rollers 14, which are rotatably mounted thereon, said sleeves and; rollers being each independently rotatable about its shaft.

These rollers are of substantially the same width as the plates-5 6 and are arranged therebetween, the rollers supporting the body of the'vehicle on the upper plate and being supported by the lower plate.

The'rings 8 9 extend below the upper surface of the'plate 6 and above the lower surface of the plate 5, thereby maintaining the parts in their relative positions and also serving as a guard to prevent the accumulation of dirt about the rollers.

By the above-described construction it will be seen that the majority of the rollers 14 have a slight independent movement toward each other and that said rollers and sleeves 13 are rotatable independently of each other. This construction and arrangement of parts insures a very sensitive and efficient fifth- Wheel which is'less liable to be affected by the accumulation of dirt, &c., than has been heretofore attained.

1. In a fifth-wheel, the combination with the upper and lower bearing-plate's,of two conmeans for securing said rings dially-disposed shafts'arranged at intervals and extending between the opposing faces of said rings, sleeves rotatably mounted on said shafts, rollers having each an independentlyrotatable bearing'throughout its length on a sleeve and arranged between said plates, and means for retaining saidrollers between said plates.

2. In a fifth-wheel, the combination with the upper and lower bearing-plates,of two concentric rings provided with elongated sockets in their'opposing faces, means for securing said rings together one within the other, a series of radially-disposed shafts arranged at intervals and fitted to the elongated sockets in the opposing faces of said rings, rollers rotatably mounted on said shafts and arranged between said plates and means for retaining said rollers between said plates.

3. In a fifth-wheel the combination with the upper-and lowerbearing-plates of two eonbetween said plates, and means for retaining I0 centric rings provided with elongated sockets said rollers between said plates.

in their opposing faces, means for securing In testimony whereof I afifix my signature said rings togetherone within the other, a sein presence of two witnesses.

ries of radially-disposed shafts arranged at intervals and fitted to the elongated sockets FRANK FREEBURG in the opposing faces of said rings, sleeves ro- Witnesses: tatably mounted on said shafts, rollers rota- ANDREW V. GROUPE, tably mounted on said sleeves and arranged RALPH H. GAMBLE. 

